Graveyard shift
by Hoobajoo
Summary: ABANDONED Joe is a security guard at ATC head office. He's on duty when Pointman and the replicas attack. Some language and adult themes.
1. Chapter 1

"How big

**Chapter 1**

"How big?"

"Watermelons, man. I swear."

"She give good head?"

"You wouldn't believe it."

What a bullshitter. Jake is talking about his date with some girl he picked up at a bar last Friday night and Marky 'Gullible' Gulliver is buying it. I'd have a mind to set him straight, but I may as well listen in and see just how far Marky will fall and how tall Jake's story might get.

"I tell you, man. My dick was out to like…. _here."_

"_Really?"_

Yeah sure, whatever.

I'm walking through the offices again on my grave shift. ATC pays about 18 an hour so the money's OK to just wander around all night and not particularly do much. I mean, what's to steal? It's just offices and paper 'n' stuff.

The only bummer is that it can get a little creepy around here with the lights turned down, but so long as I can hear Jake talking about his supposed foot long dick and Marky saying "really?" every time, I suppose I can bear it.

So, it's about 11pm, my shift started about 2 hours ago and there's pretty much no one around. Sometimes there's the odd worker staying back for whatever late project they've gotta work on. Especially when it year end or half year end, accounts have gotta stay late most days for a couple of weeks getting the financials done. Also, just before then, the sales guys go nuts trying to reach their targets before their periods finish up. They want their bonuses, so they stay late working their asses off, either making sales or cooking numbers and manipulating whatever spreadsheets they're working on. It doesn't matter to me. I'm just a security guard. Not my job.

I'm on the Admin floor and I pop by the kitchen for a cup of cheapo free coffee. Thankfully, there's someone here. I can hear the fridge door closing before I walk in.

Turning the corner and walking into the white light of the kitchen, I can see it's that fat bastard Norton whatshisname. Wipes? Mapes? Something like that.

"Hey, how's it going?" he asks me cheerfully. He's making some coffee too, juggling a candy bar between hands as he pours in much too much sugar and stirs it in, spilling half of it on the bench top.

"Oh. Yeah. Alright I guess."

"Nice. Long shift tonight?" he asks. He usually ignores people like me, but tonight he's quite amorous. I'd like to know why. Actually, no I don't.

"It's always a long shift." I reply a little curtly.

"Well, that's what the coffee's for, eh?"

"Yeah, I guess. The sugar helps too."

"Yeah, it does." He snorts a laugh and shuffles passed me. I really have to suck in my stomach to let him through.

"See ya!" he calls back to me as he disappears into the corridor and out of view. I don't reply because I don't want too. I like to have as little do as possible with that guy. He's a leech.

I've heard stories about him. That's one of the advantages of being around late at night with lonely office workers. Often when someone is working late, they like to talk to you before they go. It's like they need to have some contact with someone or else they'll go crazy. I can't blame them. If I didn't have those two bozos Marky and Jake prattling on all night, I would get lonely too I suppose.

One guy once told me all about him. How women hate having anything to do with him and how he spends a lot of time breaking company policy downloading porn in his office. He must be someone special if he jacks off in his office during office hours and can happily get away with it. I shudder to think what it is that he's good at rthat justifies his existence.

I've also heard that he works on something pretty top secret. Again, I don't think I wanna know what.

I only put in one sachet of sugar compared to Norton's four and stroll back out into the gloomy corridors, sipping the coffee absently. Back into my pacing rhythm, I soon forget I've even got the cup in my hand, even as I drink from it.

Marky and Jake normally take the elevator between floors on their patrols, but I like to take the stairs. If I'm going to get any exercise, it may as well be on the job.

The next floor up is the junior execs. There's usually someone around this time of night. They're usually working hard on getting their promotion. I'm sure you have to suck a lot of dick to get up around here. It's a metaphor, but one time I swear that was actually happening. I don't even know whether it was a man or a woman giving it, but I remember walking by, hearing someone moaning and a man walked out with quite a smug look on his face. I managed to get a look without him seeing me and I later figured out it was Harlan Wade. One of the high up scientists.

Turns out Norton works for him. Go figure. One of them gets sucked off during the night and the other is surrounded by women that wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole.

I never saw who the other person was. It was a meeting room, not someone office, but if it happens again, you bet I'm gonna find out.

Anyway, I'm on this floor again and I'm just walking around through the purple and beige walkways. I always get a little lost here. The layout of the floor doesn't particularly make sense. It's like being in an Ikea store. If you want to go to the toilet, you have to walk passed seemingly every desk and through every corridor to get there and you mysteriously get back to your original place by coming back another way.

I swear, I don't get it.

I'm walking along again and the whole place is empty. The overhead lights flicker quite a lot up here strangely tonight and the shadows they cast are creeping me out a bit. Also, I come to a corridor and I swear I can see some walk into a meeting room, but when I walk passed it and peer inside, there's no one there. This floor is creeping me out.

Oh well, I've almost done my sweep then I'll head upstairs to the Senior exec floor.

I walk passed a reception desk and I can see someone's shadow up ahead. It's more definite than the others I've seen, so I'm determined to find out who it is. Walking towards it, I can see a man and he stares at me with a slightly annoyed and short look on his face. Stepping closer, I can see it's none other than the lucky Harlon Wade.

"Good night, sir." I say respectfully.

"Good night. Everything secure?" he smirks at me.

"Yes, sir. Like always, quiet as a tomb."

He positively smiles at me, showing pearly white and super straight teeth, "Good. Nice to know you're on the case."

Why is he smiling at me? He looked angry at me before. "Yes sir."

"Well, this floor's fine. You can move on now." He says patronisingly. I think I'll have to actually have to do my job and see what he's up to now. I don't care if he has the power to get me fired, my balls are itchy. They only itch when something's going on.

"Yes, sir." I reply like a broken record, before walking on and leaving him alone in the empty corridor.

Another walkway of fluffy carpet and empty desks whose contents are hidden behind long shadows file passed me as I lighten my step, planning to turn right instead of left and back track around to have another look.

I get to the same intersection as before and I can hear his voice coming from around the corner.

"Come on in, darling. It's good to see you again."

Slowly and carefully I poked my head around, sheltered by a large pot plant, so he can't see me.

He's standing in front of a meeting room, the door is open and there's a little girl. She's naked! She must only be like 6 years old or something. He gestures for her to walk inside and she does. The sick bastard is grinning from ear to ear.

I think I'm going to hang around here for a while and find out what's going on. I'm not gonna barge in there. I'm gonna get sneaky about this. I've got my mobile phone and it can take video. I'll get him in the act. Maybe I can blackmail him.

Although my heart is pumping heavily with excitement as the door closes, it soon gets boring in the quiet expanse and I have to wipe the phone clean on my pants to get rid of the sweat that clinging to it.

Finally, after about 20 minutes, he comes out. I get my phone ready and I film him buttoning his coat closed with a sick grin and disappear down the hallway away from me. He leaves the meeting room door open.

I wait a good minute after he leaves and creep up to the room. I crane my ear to see if the poor little girl is inside. I can't hear any crying or yelling or nothing.

Stepping up to the doorway, I peer inside and you know what I could see? Nothing.

Just a couple of plastic chairs and tables, but no girl. I swear I never saw her leave.

Wary of Harlen coming back, I quietly hoof it to the stairs and get to the security office to take a breather. My heart is pumping and I'm breathing so fast I feel like I've run a small marathon.

The floor is only 5 flights down and I practically run down, 3 steps at a time. To hell with risking my ankles getting broken, I wanna get out of there.

Finally, I get there and Clive buzzes me in with a small smile and a nod. I can still hear Marky and Jake crapping away on the radio, but I can screen them out easily. Collapsing down on the wooden bench and leaning on my locker, I can feel the metal stick into my back like a knife. Strangely, it feels good, like the pain reminds me Im not in a dream. I feel so tired for some reason.

I pull out the mobile phone to have a look at the footage. Maybe the video captured something I missed. I watch it diligently as it replays and I'm stunned. I swear I couldn't breath as I saw Harlan Wade come out of the meeting room like I saw, but the small girl follows out after him, skipping around like she's the happiest little mite in the world!

How is that possible? I didn't see her, and there she is as plain as the light of day on my phone! I check it again, maybe I'm dreaming or something and sure enough, she's **not** there this time.

I must be going crazy. I need a drink.

A crackle on my radio snaps me awake and it's a voice that always sends a shudder up my spine. It's Munro Anderson, head of security.

"All ATC security units, please be advised that we have been informed of a possible forthcoming security breach at head office. Additional security forces will be deployed and are expected to arrive within the next 30 minutes. Please stand by."

Oh shit, this isn't good.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"What's the fuck's goin' on?"

"I dunno, but it sounds bad."

"Jesus, are you telling me I might have to actually use my gun?"

"How should I know?"

"I'm not paid enough for this shit."

"Yes, you are."

"Shut up."

Mark and Jake continued jabbering away on the radio. I suspected they would be like this if the shit ever hit the fan. Steel turning to rubber.

They were finishing off a sweep of the remaining floors, looking for stray employees and found none. Harlan Wade was missing, but no one knows that besides me. I think I'll keep it that way.

"Hey Jazz, what do you think?"

Jazz is my nickname. Jake thought of it from a Simpsons episode. You know the one where Bart asks for Huge Ass? Well my first name is Hugh, so my nickname is officially Jazz in honour of that little gem.

I must say, I don't altogether mind it too much. Better than Marky "Gullible" Gulliver.

"I think you're a wanker Jake. Where are you guys?"

"Level 16."

"Well get down here then. Clive's getting everything together."

I hope they get here pretty quick. It's just Clive and myself for the moment in the security wing. If someone's gonna try and sneak in here, I want more people around me. Although I know how to use my pistol, I've never actually shot at anyone before. You sign on as a security guard expecting to walk around and not have to actually DO anything.

Shit, it seems like I might have to now.

"Did you hear that?"

"No, shut up. Let's just get outta here." Mark replied belligerently.

Mark and Jake sound scared. I don't particularly blame them.

Clive butts in and calms them down, in his own way. "Hey you two, shut the fuck up and get down here pronto or I'll have your balls!"

"Yessir!" they both reply with a start.

I can hear Clive talking to the door guards on the ground floor. Susan and Jesse. Never really had much to do with those two, but they seemed more professional than Mark and Jake.

"Susie, Jesse, status update." Clive barks.

"All clear sir." Susie crisp voice on the slightly grainy radio has a calming effect on me. I don't know why. She just sounds so in control.

Finally, Mark and Jake burst through the stairwell doorway and almost tumble into me.

"Jesus Jazz, am I glad to see you!" Gullible exclaims through raspy breaths.

Nothing's even happened yet and these two are almost pissing themselves.

Thankfully Clive steps into the hallway after hearing the commotion and immediately starts barking orders at them, and me.

"Right, you three I want you manning the CCTV feeds. If there is a security breach, I wanna know where."

"Clive, what's going on, huh?" Gullible says, his voice a little shaky.

"I told you before. We got a tip off of a possible security breach tonight. An ATC platoon is on their way as a precaution."

"Christ, so is this for real?" Gullible dribbles again.

"Yes. This is what you are paid for after all. Now get going."

"Yessir." We all bark in unison and jogged passed him for the CCTV surveillance room. None of us say a word as I lead the way, opening the door to reveal the grey glow of the hoards of TV monitors.

I pushed inside the small space, taking a seat on the middle of the great volume of flickering screens. I figured I should watch over the other two and make sure they were doing what they should. I mean, when you get down to it, I don't trust them with my life.

"So what are we looking for?" Gullible asked.

"Whatever shouldn't be there." Jake chastised.

Well, when you get down to it, that's what is required. All of the floors should be empty. There should be no movement and nobody. If anything moves, you better believe I'm going to see it and report the shit out of it. At least, I would like to think nothing can get passed me, but I won't kid myself anymore.

Time to concentrate.

I divide us up between floors, Jake watching the bottom 6 floors, including the ground level and car parks. I'm the middle 12 and Gullible is on the top 5 floors, including the roof.

Nervous banter is kept to a minimum as everyone rigorously scans through the various camera feeds, finding nothing as they cycle through the multitude of images and viewpoints.

"Anything?"

"No."

"Jesus, what's that?"

"Nothing you dumb shit. That's just a pot plant."

"Shut up you two. Calm the shit down." I bark at them. A comedy of errors these two guys. Useless. I definitely need to keep an eye on them.

Clive's gruff roar fills our radios. I can't help but flinch as feel as though small pieces of barbed wire have just torn through my ear drums. "Anything to report on CCTV?"

"All clear." I report back before Mark and Jake have a chance to stutter something stupid in reply.

"Jesse? Susan? Anything to report?" Clive barks through the radio again. His is gentler with these two because I'm sure he trusts them more than us. I don't blame him. I would too I suppose.

We all wait in tense silence for Jesse or Susan to reply and the room suddenly feels colder by the second when they don't reply.

Absolute silence. Ordinarily I would appreciate the solace from Mark and Jakes annoying banter, but I would give anything for someone to pierce the silence with something reassuring.

I want to hear. "Yes sir. No sir. Three bags full sir." But the radio speaker lodged in my ear is left wanting. It has nothing to say.

I need to shit.

Badly.

I'm not quite sure whether Clive is scared shitless like me or just angry when he repeats his request for an update.

As before, there is only silence to torture me.

"Jazz, bring up the feed on the foyer." Clive barks in the radio.

The direction he has lovingly bequeathed unto me is like a breath of warm, fresh air into my icy lungs. Something productive to do to break up my nervousness.

With a deft press of a finger on the keyboard before me, the bank of monitors instantly bring forth images from the several cameras that cover the front foyer.

It's a great mass of Parthenon-esque marble columns and modern leather couches with steel arm rests sharp enough to cut your arm off. It all looks very modern and exudes an 'in charge and powerful' feel, but those couches are as uncomfortable as fuck. I suppose only dumb security guards like me and ignorant and nervous job applicants and stupid enough to actually sit in them. Maybe they're a test. If you sit in them, you fail.

Maybe that's why there a very cold feeling in my stomach and a reflexive clench on my rectum to stop a watery turd from a hasty exit when I see Jesse sitting in one of those couches. I instantly know something is wrong even if the others don't.

His grainy figure is slumped over in the leather, like he's fallen asleep.

There's no way you can fall asleep on those things.

Quickly scanning over the other screens, I cannot find Susan.

It does not matter. I report to Clive exactly what I think.

"Something's very wrong sir."

"What is it?" Clive asks impatiently, yet matter-of-factly.

"Jesse appears… incapacitated and Susan is unaccounted for." I avoid saying Jesse's dead for obvious reasons, even if I know it in my bones and my bowels.

"Mark, Jake get down there. Jazz, I'm coming to you."

My two unfortunate companions turn around and stare at me with eyes wide enough to fit a truck in them. They are incredulous with fear and disbelief.

Before they have a chance to protest to me, I repeat Clive's order with as much impatience and a feigned anger as I can muster, when in truth I feel deeply sorry for them.

As though in shock, the both slowly rise from their chairs and disappear out of the room without a word.

Only a split moment later, Clive bounces through the door into the glow with me and exudes an air of reassuring, yet nervous authority. His hand is resting on his service pistol. I wonder whether he's ever shot a man before.

We are just in time to watch Mark and Jake emerge from the elevator in the foyer through the CCTV footage. Their backs are as stiff as metal as they calmly (they appear calm, although I know they are not) walk out into the open foyer towards Jesse.

Before I know what's happened, their heads jerk backwards and they tumble to the floor in ragged heaps. There is no sound and I cannot hear the gunshots that have undoubtedly just killed them.

It was a curious state to be in. I was in shock but still somehow had the presence of mind to know I was in shock and somehow function anyway. My tongue felt three sizes too big and impossibly dry when I coolly inform Clive that Mark and Jake are dead.

Instantly he reaches for his radio.

"Munro, get those back-up guys here right fucking now! We're under attack! Insurgents are inside!"


End file.
